This invention relates to a coin dispensing equipment storing and issuing a plurality of small disk like coins and more particularly, this invention concerns a high-speed dispensing device storing coins in loose condition for releasing coins one by one at high speed. Further, this invention concerns coin dispensing equipment which can be changed in response to the type of coin, that is to say, in proportion to the coin size. The terminology xe2x80x9ccoinxe2x80x9d used in this specification, of course includes coins which are currency as well as other small disk bodies such as medals and tokens for games. The coin dispensing apparatus of the invention is particularly used in coin changers and game machines.
Until now, various types of devices for paying out the coin are known. For example, a coin dispensing equipment is shown in Japanese Patent Application 2-152852 by this applicant. This Japanese Patent Application 2-152852 is published as Japanese Patent Publication 6-44305. The Japanese Patent Application 2-152852 has become U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,094. These publications disclose coin dispensing equipment, which is summarily shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.
The structure shown in FIG. 4, is summarily explained below, with an explanation of the operation of this equipment.
An electric motor (not shown) in this coin dispensing device is driven such that a center rotating shaft 112 is rotated. When rotating shaft 112, a disk 102 is rotated in an almost standing condition and at the clockwise direction. The disk 102 is a deep plate and is rotated near the base within a large generally pot-shaped tank 101. By this rotation of disk 102, the coins on or in contact with this disk 102 are agitated by an agitation action. The agitation action is generated by protrusions 106 which are formed inside the surrounding wall 104 of this disk 102. Thus, the coins in disk 102 go into coin receiving holes 105 which are opened at the base of this disk 102.
Most of the coins which went into these receiving holes 105 slide on and move on the surface of support-plate 111 by the disk 102. The lowest coins which are slid and moved will be forced out to a coin exit 123. The lowest coin is moved by slender feed nails (not shown) which are formed on the underside of disk 102. The lowest moved coin is guided and sent out to exit 123 by guide plate 115 and a flange surrounding wall 122. The guide plate 115 is formed almost with an oval shape at the surface center of large square support-plate 111.
A flange surrounding wall 122 is formed in a ring shape in order to install a tank 101 on support-plate 111. The coin which is sent out to exit 123 is dispensed from this exit 123. The coin is released from exit 123 by fixation roller 124 and mobile roller 126 with a spring (not shown).
As described above, the conventional coin dispensing equipment included an apparatus for sending out or issuing coins of identical type. Therefore, there was a problem that the conventional coin dispensing equipment could not be simply converted into other size coins.
Further, when the conventional coin dispensing equipment was operated at high speed, problems resulted in that the coin dispensing efficiency became poor. In other words, when the conventional coin dispensing equipment was operated at high speed, the resulting coin pickup efficiency was poor.
A primary object of this invention is to provide a device in which the coin size can be simply changed, even if the paid coin type is changed.
A further object of this invention is to provide a device in which the dispensing efficiency of coin is good, even if operated at high speed. The purpose of improving the coin pickup efficiency at high speed operation is to be obtained by a simple construction or arrangement.
According to the invention a coin dispensing apparatus is provided comprising a tank for storing coins in a loose condition and a freely rotatable disk provided at the bottom in the tank. The disk has an open hole for coins to fall therethrough. An adjustment means or adjustment device is arranged on the underside of this disk for forming the open hole into an adjustment coin size hole. A guide or a guide means is arranged on the upper surface of the disk for guiding several coins in the open hole.
The guide means may be advantageously a guide element of a sea star shape or starfish shape of a given thickness.
The coin dispensing equipment of the invention may be provided with the guide having a plane or surface to which the coin contacts, which is sloped.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.